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Signs of the season: Philly Spring Cleanup, MLK Drive weekend closures

From water ice to cleanups to open streets, there's plenty of fresh signs of spring around Philadelphia this weekend.

Volunteers clean the sidewalk at Kingsessing Recreation Center during a previous spring cleanup.
Volunteers clean the sidewalk at Kingsessing Recreation Center during a previous spring cleanup.Read moreRON TARVER / Staff Photographer

Looks like it's going to be a beautiful weekend for a little outdoor cleanup.

Saturday is Philadelphia’s 12th annual spring cleanup event, which the mayor’s office dubs “the largest citywide cleanup of the year” — but it can’t happen without volunteers.

There are more than 300 projects across the city, with most happening from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The city has a website listing all the events officially registered. A quick registration through the Streets Department will let would-be volunteers view the options through a portal. A handful of events can also be found on Facebook.

Too many choices? The city’s “featured project” will happen in Hope Park at 215 E. Indiana Ave. in Kensington, as part of the Philadelphia Resilience Project, which hopes to curb the opioid crisis through clearing encampments, cleaning trash, and reducing overdoses. Saturday’s efforts will be the fifth major cleanup in Kensington since last fall, according to the mayor’s office.

Projects officially registered with the city will be provided trash bags, gloves, rakes, shovels, and other supplies.

» READ MORE: At least half of Philly’s recycling goes straight to an incinerator

What else is going on?

The annual cleanup comes at the beginning of longer days and warmer weather. Here are some other signs of the season:

  1. Martin Luther King Drive’s seasonal closures to vehicular traffic begin Saturday. Cyclists and pedestrians can enjoy open streets Saturdays and Sundays from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m., though the section from Eakins Oval to Sweetbriar Drive reopens to vehicles at noon. MLK Drive’s weekend closures end Oct. 27.

  2. Warm weather means water ice, and seasonal shops are opening. John’s Water Ice, a Philly institution since 1945 at Seventh and Christian Streets, is now open for the season. (Rita’s opened the first day of spring.)

  1. Other seasonal attractions are also opening, with Hershey Park’s Springtime in the Park starting this weekend. Those longing for amusement park thrills and fried foods ahead of the summer season can check out more than 50 rides and 13 coasters during the event, on Saturday and Sunday, and on April 13 and 14 and 19 to 21.

  2. Spring means pothole season. Motorists are encouraged to report a pothole in Philadelphia to Philly311 by dialing 311 or 215-686-5560, or filling out a form online. Contact PennDot about state roads by calling 1-800-FIX-ROAD or online through the department’s customer care center.

  3. Expect higher gas prices soon, too, according to AAA. The average gas price in Philly as of Friday was $2.82, up a few cents from last week’s $2.79 but down from $2.84 a year ago. The national average was $2.72 Friday. AAA expects prices to rise ahead of the summer travel season.

Interested in more spring events? Check out The Inquirer’s Spring Arts Guide, detailing concerts, movies, festivals, and more happening in the area throughout the season.